June3 16 by Daniel Pearson

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Lifesaving tragedy Editor’s note: after our cover story about water safety and Robert Ballard’s drowning at Lake Springs in our last issue, we heard from Robert’s mother, Lakeya Collins. She hopes to transform her pain and agony into something positive that will prevent future tragedies for others. Here is her story. by Lakeya Collins It was a beautiful Sunday morning, April 24, 2016. Usually my children and I would all be getting ready for Sunday morning church services. This particular Sunday, my 16-year-old son Robert asked if he could dismiss himself from church and spend time with his friends. Against my better judgment I said yes because the day before he spent all day at home babysitting his 6-yearold brother because I had to work a 12 hour shift. That afternoon after church my fiancé and I decided to take a nap. After dreaming that I had missed 30 calls, I woke up to 28 missed calls. One particular text message from my daughter Alyse stood out, “Mommy please call me the sheriff is looking for you.” When I returned Alyse’s call I wasn’t be prepared for what she would tell me. There was a scream in her voice that I will never forget for the rest of my days. She would tell me that Robert drowned that afternoon. At that moment my world would shift into something I never knew even existed.

Robert Ballard and his mother, Lakeya Collins, in 2014 After the initial shock of losing my son in such a tragic manner, I wanted details and facts about what happened. I immediately went to his girlfriend who attempted to save his life, but was unfortunately unable to do so. She told me that she and Robert along with friends decided to swim to another island. They swam together, but midway out Robert complaint of being tired and wanted to turn around. At that point Robert went under and never resurfaced. Robert could swim and was in excellent physical shape. I’m not sure why he tired out so fast. Maybe he panicked. Since that terrible day I

have discovered that there aren’t any lake swimming safety laws in the state of Georgia. There are boating rules and regulations, but not for lake swimming safety. I found that to be disturbing since there are more than two dozen major lakes in the state of Georgia and Georgia ranks #14 in the country for drowning, averaging well over 100 drownings per year, and about 40 percent of them are in lakes. Researching I found plenty of safety tips for lake swimming and classes to promote safety, but nothing holding anyone accountable or liable for precious lives especially our children. More Please see ROBERT page 6

TLC

JUNE 3, 2016

BODY PARTS: THE SERIES

Double Helix Editor’s note: with this issue the Medical Examiner begins an occasional series highlighting the amazing design and structure of the human body.

f all the zillions of components that make up the human body, DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) ranks with the most astounding. DNA is the genetic blueprint we carry in each of our trillions of cells. What does that mean? Imagine looking at the blueprints for a huge skyscraper. The plans would be voluminous, even though the most complex building is like a child’s toy compared to the human body. If you visited the building, you could chip off a tiny piece of drywall in any room on any floor, or pick up a flake of rust from an exposed pipe and if you magnified the piece enough, the blueprints for the entire building would be contained in that tiny fragment. More than that, the complete plans would also include elements from every building previously designed and constructed by the same architectural and construction team, going back decades. Of course, the human body is far more complex than any building on earth. No two people are alike. Each living being changes literally minute by minute, sometimes from second to second. For example, brain cells in a developing baby are formed at the rate of up to 250,000 per minute. Even so, each of those 250,000 cells contains a perfectly replicated copy of DNA that is unique to that tiny embryonic human and no other. DNA replication is amazingly accurate in that it involves taking apart the two halves of the double helix, then zipping it back together, one half being the original parent strand, the other half a new but perfectly matched copy. Please see DNA page 2

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It’s quite an accomplishment to produce 1 million of anything every four minutes, even paper clips. But DNA is so intricately complex and sophisticated that a single gram of DNA carries as much information as a trillion CDs. A teaspoon of DNA could hold the blueprints for 350 times the current world population. The data it carries dictates how tall you are, how big your nose is, the color of your eyes, how susceptible you will be to osteoporosis as you get older, the color of your as-yet unborn children’s hair and eyes, and diameter trillions of other boring but major facts, like keeping your endocrine system running, building proteins, enzymes, sugars, amino acids, etc, etc. This tremendous lode of information is contained inside cells — which are themselves incredibly tiny — and within the nucleus of those tiny cells are even smaller DNA molecules. To paint a realistic picture of the miniatureness of DNA is almost impossible, but try this on for size: each time a strand of DNA completes a turn (illustrated at right) it covers a distance of 34 angstroms. How long is an angstrom? One ten-millionth of a millimeter. The diameter of a DNA coil is 20 angstroms. Despite its small size, DNA is big on content. Strike that. Huge. One reference compared the structure of a DNA molecule to the challenge of packing 24 miles of thread into a tennis ball, yet doing so in a way that would make any individual segment of the thread easily and instantly accessible. After all, DNA data isn’t like old books in some dusty library: the information is in constant use, like an extremely busy reference desk — think Google or Wikipedia. Speaking of books, the human genome is composed of 23 “chapters” called chromosomes. In genetic terms, that’s about 3 billion rungs on the twisted DNA ladder like you see to the right. But in book terms, the human genome would fill 428 books of a thousand pages each. However, each cell contains two complete copies of the genome; 46 chromosomes or, if you prefer, 856 thousand-page encyclopedia volumes. DNA is so efficient at storing massive amounts of data in microscopic spaces that biotechnicians are developing ways to use DNA for information other than the human genome. Perhaps you heard the news item in the past week stating that the U.S. government spends huge amounts of money keeping antiquated computer systems running because the data can’t be transferred from old and clunky formats of decades past to the data storage methods of today. If you no longer have the equipment to read 5” floppy disks, or it has been years since you burned a CD, you may be able to relate to their problem. DNA offers no such problem: archeologists can dig up ancient pharaohs and wooly mammoths that have been dead for centuries, and their DNA is as fresh and readable as a sample taken from me or you at a lab just yesterday. DNA is incredibly stable, even if it’s been lying out in the elements for centuries. One scientist working on DNA information storage says every last byte of information in Wikipedia, Twitter, and even Facebook with its billion-plus users and zillions of cat videos — all of that combined and then some — could easily be stored in a tablespoon of synthetic DNA. This overview of DNA is pitifully incomplete — entire books, many of them — have been written about the myriad complexities of DNA and the evergrowing applications for what is still a very new science. In fact, the typical depictions of DNA, like the picture used with this article, is also a gross oversimplification. Future installments of the Body Parts series may not convey exhaustive knowledge of its chosen subjects, but each will attempt to instill respect and reverence for the human machine. That can only lead to more salubrious living. +

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+ Dear Advice Doctor, I’m worried about my best friend. She is a single mom with three kids and three jobs. She has already bit off way more than she can chew, yet she’s looking for another job! If she gets hired it will be job number 4! Her kids are constantly being passed around to her relatives. And babysitters — mainly me. When I refuse to watch them they wind up with assorted unsavory relatives in their unsanitary homes. My dilemma: should I put her kids first, or myself? — Tired Out BabysItter

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Dear Tired Out Babysitter, I hope your friend appreciates you and everything you have done and are doing for her. However, this is a situation that anyone could encounter at any time, even among complete strangers. I was in a restaurant just a few weeks ago when another diner bit off more than he could chew. Although I didn’t know the man, I was glad that I’ve been trained to perform the Heimlich Maneuver. Yes, I’m a doctor, but anyone can and should know how to perform the Heimlich. Many restaurants require their employees to know how to save a choking diner; they’re around people who are eating all the time. For the rest of us, it’s just as important. After all, as a general rule people eat several times every day. You could go your entire life and never have to save someone who’s choking, or you could need to do the Heimlich twice in one week. You just never know. Ask about Heimlich training at area hospitals, the Y, the American Red Cross, or look for YouTube videos to learn this important emergency procedure. The life you save could be your best friend’s. +

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www.AugustaRx.com The Medical Examiner’s mission: to provide information on topics of health and wellness of interest to general readers, to offer information to assist readers in wisely choosing their healthcare providers, and to serve as a central source of news within every part of the Augusta medical community. Submit editorial content to graphicadv@knology.net Direct editorial and advertising inquiries to: Daniel R. Pearson, Publisher & Editor E-mail: Dan@AugustaRx.com AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER P.O. Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903-0397

(706) 860-5455 www.AugustaRx.com • E-mail: graphicadv@knology.net Opinions expressed by the writers herein are their own and their respective institutions. Neither the Augusta Medical Examiner, Pearson Graphic 365 Inc., or its agents or employees take any responsibility for the accuracy of submitted information, which is presented for informational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnosis and treatment, consult your doctor. The appearance of advertisements in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised. © 2016 PEARSON GRAPHIC 365 INC.

JUNE 3, 2016

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

#23 IN A SERIES

Who is this?

OLD NEWS +

POINTS OF INTEREST TO FORMER KIDS by Trisha Whisenhunt, Senior Citizens Council

SENIORS IN FLIGHT

ome people are almost literally born into their life’s calling. Exhibit #1 may very well be the physician pictured above. Although he died more than 75 years ago, we all hear his name regularly to this day. Dr. William James Mayo (above, known as Will), born in 1861, was the oldest son of Dr. W.W. Mayo and his wife Louise. Their second son, Charles, also became a physician. The boys often accompanied their father as he made his rounds, gaining valuable experience at an early age. The story is told, for instance, of W.W. Mayo being called upon the death of one of his patients late one night. Will, 16 at the time, accompanied his father, and watched as he performed on autopsy on the spot. As he completed the postmortem, W.W. needed to visit another patient and told his son to sew up the incisions and tuck a clean sheet around the corpse before going straight home. Years later, Will said he was as proud of not running away from that challenge as anything he had ever done. On August 21, 1883, just weeks after Will’s 22nd birthday, a tornado struck Rochester, Minnesota (where the Mayos lived), killing 24 people and injuring some 40 more. A third of the town was destroyed, but W.W. Mayo and his sons, uninjured, helped treated the wounded in the town’s library. The event highlighted the need for a local hospital, and with the fund raising assistance of local nuns, St. Marys Hospital was built and opened in 1889. W.W. Mayo invited another physician, Augustus Stinchfield, to join his practice as a full partner in 1892, and once Stinchfield accepted, W.W. promptly retired. Over the next few years, Will and Charles Mayo invited several other doctors Drs. Will and Charles to join them, in effect inventing the world’s Mayo were depicted fi rst group practice. In 1919, the partners on a 1964 stamp. established the Mayo Clinic as a not-forprofit entity. Charles H. Mayo specialized in surgery of the thyroid and nervous system and also oversaw the clinic’s ophthalmic patients for a time. Will Mayo, meanwhile, focused a significant portion of his surgical practice on gastric carcinomas. Ironically enough, he died of stomach cancer in July 1939 at age 78. Charles also died in the summer of 1939, succumbing at 73 to pneumonia just weeks before his older brother’s death. Charles’ two sons, Charles William Mayo and Joseph Graham Mayo both worked at Mayo Clinic, and a grandson, Charles H. Mayo II, served his medical residency at the clinic. Charles’ son Joseph died in November 1936 in an accident when a train struck his car, killing him and his hunting dog, Flossie. Both were buried in the same casket. During the lifetime of Will and Charles Mayo, the Mayo Clinic treated more than one million patients. +

lying has become more complicated and stressful over the last 15 years but it doesn’t have to be that way. All it takes is a little extra planning, especially for seniors. Medical conditions should be considered, both for physical comfort and keeping medications on schedule. Beverages are offered on board, but check to see if a meal will be served. You may want to bring snacks which are appropriate to your tastes and dietary needs. The airline industry is often front and center in the media and it’s usually unflattering. What the general public needs to keep in mind is the airlines are not the enemy. They are 100% invested in getting their fl ights out on time and working to keep their passengers happy and safe. It is in their best interest to do so. For them, time literally is money. Make sure you arrive in plenty of time to get to your gate and get checked in. Seniors may need additional time for a meal, medication or the rest room. If you need special accommodations

such as a wheelchair or other assistance navigating the airport, it is your responsibility to make that known when you book your fl ight so they can be prepared to meet your needs. Make sure your luggage conforms to airline regulations and the contents are within the legal guidelines. Keep your passport, picture ID, ticket and meds on you. Be prepared for a possible search. Attitude is everything and keep in mind that your age, physical condition or when your fl ight leaves have nothing to do with the decision of the TSA agent asking you to submit to a search. It is their job, and the purpose is to put safety first. Having either your luggage or your

person checked can, in some instances, hold you up enough to miss your flight so do not leave your carry-on bags unattended; this will result in an additional search. Being prepared for all eventualities and keeping a sense of humor can go a long way to make your travel less stressful. The airlines want you to have a pleasant experience and they will do all they can to make it happen. They do not control the weather, unexpected repairs to aircraft or other emergencies. They can’t be expected to know your final destination or the reason for your travel, nor can they control those passengers who do not follow the rules. Not everyone prepares for air travel in an adult manner. All the airline employees can do is deal with each situation individually as it arises, which can be time consuming. Passenger problems can and do cause delays. Should you have a question or a problem, by all means bring it to the attention of the airline staff. Remember the old adage of getting more results with sugar than vinegar. A pleasant request is always well received. If for some reason your issue is not dealt with in a timely or satisfactory manner, you have every right to ask for a supervisor. +

MYTH OF THE MONTH 10,000 steps per day? Really? How did ten thousand steps become the unofficially official fitness goal for every person every day? The number actually comes from a Japanese ad campaign for pedometers back in the 1960s. It is not a bad goal. Most of us need more physical activity in our lives, not less. If we can manage 10,000 steps a day, that is a very good thing. Obviously it is not a goal for everyone. Fitness is not a one-size-fits-all matter. For some people, 1,000 steps a day would be an impossible challenge due to foot or joint pain. However, many people have found that by pressing forward from small beginnings, regular physical activity has a way of curing various aches

and pains over time. What seemed impossible last year or even last month can be achieved in small steps. For people with certain medical conditions, it never hurts to check with your doctor before starting an exercise regimen. For the rest of us, what about aiming for 10,000 steps each and every day? If you can reach that goal, great. Keep it up! If not, any amount of activity above and beyond your current level is a positive step in the right direction. Keep it up! + — by F. E. Gilliard, MD, Family Medicine 4244 Washington Road, Evans, GA 30809 706-760-7607

JUNE 3, 2016

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

WHAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOW res? ABOUT DOG SENSITIVITY

k good eno r skin can ugh cer? son.”

o k

‘ve been thinking about why certain things in our society seem to go in cycles. Recently we have been overwhelmed by the perceived need for political correctness. People want to rewrite everything instead of taking things as they are naturally. That led me to ponder some questions. Here are few of them for you to marinate upon. Did God make mistakes when He: • Made avocado seeds so big? • Made African Dwarf Frogs breathe with lungs, but live underwater their entire lives? • Made whales breathe with lungs, but live underwater their entire lives? • Made men who wanted to have sex with men even though both were clearly men? • Made women who wanted to have sex with women when both were clearly female? • Made men who want to get a woman pregnant and then abandon her and the child for the taxpayers to support? • Made a man who wanted to have sex with a woman and have children like Adam and Eve? • Made a man who wanted to be the head of a household and provide for his wife and children?

We all have opinions on such topics these days, particularly with cable news driving the discussions. From what I can gather from TV reports, it appears many Hollywood celebrities are fearful that our society might actually have too many straight men and women. Do you think God: • Put men in women’s bodies? • Put women in men’s bodies? • Made girls who later decided they want to be boys, and so do not want to use the ladies room in public? • Made boys who later decided they want to be girls, and so do not want to use men’s rooms in public? If God did any or all of that, what about dogs? Did God make transgender dogs? If He made transgender people, why not transgender dogs? Ponder that for a while. It does seem somewhat logical. We have to be sensitive to our four-legged canine friends and their sexual feelings. This issue is the next political bombshell every presidential candidate must take a strong position on. Maybe Obama should appoint a new Czar to study and oversee the transgender dog problem. After all, he has appointed 37 Czars during his

t s e B administration. Give the new Transgender Dog Czar powers to issue warrants for arrest in case your dog urinates on the wrong fire hydrant. You could get your picture in The Jail Report for allowing your dog to urinate on the wrong gender fire hydrant. Most likely it would be a felony and you would be forever barred from federal employment. You might need group counselling supervised by a licensed psychologist who has a special interest in canine urinary habituation.” Maybe we should pass a new tax to address and correct the possible conflict among dogs in our neighborhoods. We could have on-line support groups for dogs. The last thing you would want is to embarrass your dog because of its sexual orientation. This tax would pay for all expenses related to transgender dogs.

e n i c i d ME

You could have a coming out party for your transgender dog. A coming out of the back yard tool shed party. (Dogs don’t live in closets.) The Transgender Dog Fire Hydrant Tax will fund special fire hydrants for transgender dogs and educate the public — as well as the dogs — on this monumental problem that has haunted our populace for decades, if not centuries. We need mandatory Transgender Sensitivity Class of non-transgender dogs so they can better accept their transgender friends. And of course, we must school their owners as well. That means you must go to classes on how your dog should or should not urinate on which fire hydrant. There would be fines on you if you forced your dog to urinate on the wrong fire hydrant. Every city must add new fire hydrants to accommodate

the needs . Should we have sex change operations for dogs? We will need a Supreme Court ruling on that, too. Business will boom. A whole new branch of veterinary medicine will blossom. Colleges will have to add new courses and new departments. Millions of new students will enroll. Millions of resumes will be updated to identify those properly trained in dog urination sensitivity. Go to political rallies to force presidential candidates to take a position on this new burning question. Call your Congressman today to determine his stand on transgender fire hydrants. After all, inquiring minds want to know. + Bad Billy Laveau is a formerlyretired MD who wields a pointed sense of humor - and now, tongue depressors too. He speaks and entertains at events for audiences not subject to cardiac arrest secondary to overwhelming laughter and glee. BadBilly@knology.net or 706306-9397. F REE T AKE-HO ME CO PY!

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The Augusta Medical Examiner’s publisher, Daniel Pearson, has continuously published a newspaper in Augusta since 1990, longer than any other publisher in Augusta except the gentleman to the right, publisher of The Augusta Chronicle, “The South’s Oldest Newspaper,” founded in 1785. We’re still wet behind the ears, but proud to have served Augusta area readers for more than a quarter of a century.

William S. Morris III Founder, chairman and CEO of Morris Communications and publisher of The Augusta Chronicle.

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

ROBERT… from page 1

M E DI C I N E

than 60 percent of all drownings in Georgia happen to young people, age 24 and under. I want to take a stand, not only for Robert, but for every other valuable life that was taken because there weren’t enough safety laws enforced at our lakes. I decided to propose lake safety regulations that I hope will become legislation called “Robert’s Law.” Suggestions for Robert’s Law: • “Swim at your own risk” signs will be removed from all lakes in the state of Georgia. Swimming at your own risk should not be acceptable for our children. We don’t expect children to drive at their own risk, so swimming at your risk just won’t do either. • All public lakes will have brightly colored visible buoys and roped off areas to identify safe swimming areas and areas where danger and undercurrents may be present. • All designated swimming areas at public lakes in Georgia will require posting of local emergency contact numbers and direct landline or emergency-phone 911 access. Cellular connections are not guaranteed in some lake areas. • All children 16 years of age and younger will be required to wear an approved life vest while swimming in public lakes in Georgia. • All children under age 16 must accompanied by an adult while swimming and/or entertaining at any public lake in Georgia. I have also started a petition at Change.org for Robert’s Law. I request that you please sign the petition. +

I N

have lymphoma. I’m not sick. That sounds contradictory but it’s true. I’ve had lymphoma for 20 years, though it wasn’t originally diagnosed as that. I was told I had low counts of the good blood components that fight infection. And low platelets. I haven’t been able to donate blood in 20 years and that disturbs me. I’ve outlasted several of my oncologists and hematologists. None died, they just retired or moved away. Just in the last three years one of my doctors said, “You know you have lymphoma.” Actually I didn’t. What I had was described as low neutrophils, or large granular lymphocytes. I’ve had three bone marrow tests, an ultrasound on my spleen, and more blood tests than I can count. My penultimate oncologist asked, “Wouldn’t you like to know what kind of lymphoma you have?” $18,000 worth of special tests later (I had to pay “only” $1,000 out of my own pocket), I got the new news. “You should have aggressive

“There’s the bad kind and the very bad kind.” leukemia, but since you’re not sick, we’re going to call it something else.” See? Not sick. There are two types of lymphoma you could have, she went on (I’m paraphrasing). A not so bad kind and a bad kind. The bad kind has two sub-kinds, bad and very bad. We thought you had the not so bad kind, but you have the bad kind. And your test results are consistent with (doctor-talk for “you have”) the very bad kind. But you don’t get sick, so we’ve given you a diagnosis of the bad kind, not the very bad kind. Her advice? The usual, “Live your life.” But what should I do to keep from getting sick? (I haven’t had to take chemotherapy.) “Keep doing what you’re doing.” So what do I do? I work forty hours a week at a job I like. I do computer security work.

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F I R S T

P E R S O N

The Sword of Damocles

Robert, who aspired to be a physician, was well on his way, even at 16. Shown above (left) is his National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists Award of Excellence from this past February, and at right, a letter dated exactly 3 months ago today, announcing his selection to the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine later this summer.

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T H E

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I get a massage once a week. I take eight fitness classes a week split between two gyms, where I’m often the oldest person in the class. I really enjoy the friendship of my much younger fitness buffs. I volunteer with my Rotary Club. I keep in touch with my four adult children and my brothers, nieces, nephews, cousins, and their families. I read and do crossword puzzles, and I’m learning French. My latest doctor said my cancer is unlikely to turn into leukemia, but I’m not sure I believe him. He’s new and young and he wants to see me every three months. If I start feeling sick, getting infections, bruising, etc., I’ll have to go on chemotherapy. For now, I kind of like having that sword over my head. It focuses the mind. I do what I want within reason because I don’t know how much longer I’ve got. But who of us does? + Submitted by J.W. Aiken, SC

JUNE 3, 2016

Southern Girls Eat Clean Cheesy-Herb Kale Chips One of my goals is to find foods that are so good, I would choose them even if I wasn’t an intentionally-healthy-eater. I can tell you that I would choose these crunchy, (non-dairy) cheesy, bursting-with-herby-pizza-flavor kale chips over any kind of ‘chip’ I’ve ever bought in a bag-hands down. I make these delicious kale chips in a dehydrator. The beauty of a dehydrator is that anything you ‘cook’ in it at 107* or less is essentially a RAW food and still has all of the benefits of a raw food. Why is that important? Because when vegetables are cooked at temperatures over 107*F, some benefits are lost: fiber is broken down, 6. live enzymes are affected, vitamins and minerals are reduced. We often hijack our healthy veggies on the way to the dinner table by cooking the very life out of them! I strive to eat about 80-85% of my veggies raw and the other 1520% roasted, baked or lightly steamed. So, if you want to treat your family to a tried-and-true, beyond yummy, whole-food, crunchy snack in the place of a commercial version that is swimming in transfats, refined Cheesy-Herb Kale Chips salt, and preservatives, give these a try. and process until creamy Place on dehydrator trays and No dehydrator? Here are smooth. dehydrate at 105 degrees for 12 some tips for dehydrating 3. In a large mixing bowl hours or until they reach the fruits/veggies in the oven: or plastic kitchen tub, stir desired level of crunchiness! http://urbansurvivalsite.com/ together the cashew cream See link above for dehydrating how-to-dehydrate-food/ with all remaining ingredients in the oven. except the kale. Stir until Ingredients: evenly combined. 1 cup raw cashews Cinde White is a certified 1⁄2 cup tomato paste (part of 1 4. Rinse and dry the kale. Pull health/recovery coach leaves from the stems and tear small can) (myhdiet.com) into large ‘chip-sized’ pieces. 2 tablespoons Nutritional and a certified Keep in mind that the kale Yeast introductory will shrink as it dehydrates. 1 teaspoon dried Oregano wellness chef 5. Now for the messy part! 1 teaspoon dried Marjoram as well as a Toss the kale with the ‘pizza’ 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder representative for flavored cashew cream several 1 teaspoon Onion Powder Tower Garden pieces at a time. No perfection and Juice Plus (cindewhite. 1 teaspoon dried Basil here--just try to lightly coat 1⁄2 teaspoon dried Rosemary towergarden.com or most of the surface. It will 1⁄2 teaspoon Sea Salt cindewhite.juiceplus.com and 14 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes stick a little more heavily to southerngirlseatclean.com) + the curly edges. 1 bunch Curly Kale Directions: 1. Cover cashews with filtered water and soak (refrigerated) for a minimum of 2 hours, preferably overnight. 2. Drain water from cashews and place in a blender or food processor. Add fresh fi ltered water just to cover cashews

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JUNE 3, 2016

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Looking for Likes in all the right places.

Pharma cy 4 11 Very little if anything about healthcare is inexpensive, and that includes medicine. Tiny pills can command large prices. Over-the-counter medications may be less expensive, but are they also less effective? Find the answers to lots of your drug store questions in this column written by Augusta pharmacists Chris and Lee Davidson exclusively for the Medical Examiner.

SKIN CANCER & HOW TO PREVENT IT

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leading cause of skin cancer is exposure to the harmful rays of the sun. These are not the regular visible rays of the sun that we all learned about in school. It’s invisible ultraviolet (UV) radiation that is the culprit. There are two main types of ultraviolet radiation: UVA and UVB rays. UVB rays have long been thought to be the cause of skin damage, but lately there has been increasing evidence indicating that UVA rays are also a factor in skin damage. The damage caused by ultraviolet radiation can be premature aging of skin, skin cancer, damage to the eyes including cataracts and reduced immune system. We are going to look at how to prevent this damage in this issue. In the next issue we will try to look at how to treat the damage if you choose not to prevent the damage. UV radiation has been classified as a human carcinogen responsible for skin cancers such as squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma by both U.S. public health officials and the World Health Organization. How do we stop this carcinogen from hurting us? We have ways to prevent the damaging rays from reaching the skin and

guidelines on how to safely give your body the sun you want without damaging your skin. First, let’s look at the sunscreens available to protect those who choose to be sun worshipers. There are many brand name sunscreens using ingredients that are closely guarded secrets by their manufacturers, but they all either absorb UV radiation or reflect it, thereby stopping it from reaching the skin. Sunblock products sit on the surface of the skin and block the transmission of UV radiation using either titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. Whether you use sunscreen or sunblock, the point is that both work to protect your skin. Sunscreens are rated by their sun protective factor, or SPF, a value that rates how much of the sun’s radiation is actually blocked. The CDC recommends using at least an SPF 15 sunscreen, but anything above SPF 50 has little additional benefit except in maybe a few specific people. There are also common sense guidelines to help reduce skin cancer risk. These include avoiding the sun during the strongest radiation hours, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are clothes specially designed to limit ultraviolet exposure. It should also be pointed out that UV radiation can penetrate glass, so if you’re sensitive it may be beneficial to invest in UV protective tint for your vehicle windows, especially if you spend large amounts of time on the road. The other obvious option is simply to minimize time out in the sun. Not exactly a radical point of view, I must admit, but is it an option for you? In the next issue we will look at the other options that do not include protecting your skin from the sun — but they do include procedures and interventions by dermatologists. I can assure you, sunscreens are a more affordable option. + Questions about this article or suggestions for future columns can be sent to us at cjdlpdrph@bellsouth.net

Is knee or hip OSTEOARTHRITIS PAIN slowing you down? A clinical research study for knee or hip pain caused by osteoarthritis is enrolling now. • Investigational medication for up to 56 weeks • Study-related care from a local doctor Reimbursement may be provided for travel and other expenses related to participation.

Written for the Medical Examiner by Augusta pharmacists Chris and Lee Davidson (cjdlpdrph@bellsouth.net )

Proud to be pillers of our community.

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JUNE 3, 2016

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Ask a Dietitian WHAT A DIETITIAN EATS

GIC

don’t have time for breakfast, order a non-fat (or soy) 16-oz latte on your way to work. You will start your day caffeinated and with about 13 grams protein, which will tide you over until you can get a midmorning snack. Just remember, a little breakfast is better than nothing. For lunch, you cannot go wrong with a brothbased soup. It is the easiest and tastiest way to get in vegetables. Choosing one with beans (for protein) makes this a balanced lunch. You can always add a side salad and a piece of fruit. The United Nations named 2016 the International Year of Pulses due to their human and environmental benefits. Pulses are dried seeds of legumes like chickpeas, peas, lentils and beans. You can read about these plant-based protein sources at www.fao.org/pulses2016/en/ Dinner for me most nights is what I call “Farmers Market Humdinger.” I usually go to the Farmers Market and grocery store on Saturdays. When I get home, I wash and chop all the vegetables. That way there is never an excuse not to cook a whole food dinner, since all the prep work is done. Often, I’ll just make a vegetable bowl. If you are interested in recipes, there are some good options at the Forks over Knives website (www.forksoverknives.com/ recipes/). If you know me, you know I love sweets. Lately my favorites are fresh strawberries with whipped cream, or pineapple with vanilla bean ice cream. However, in the last couple of years several of the dietitians at AUHealth have been honing their pastry and baking skills. It has been challenging learning to bake with whole

LER

As a registered dietitian and the nutrition manager at Augusta University Health, my whole life seems to revolve around food: talking about it, taste-testing it, answering questions about it, writing about it, looking at ingredients in it, reading research journal articles on it.... you get the point. I don’t follow a special diet. I’m not vegetarian or vegan, though I do try to abide by the principles of a whole foods, plant-based diet. I don’t eat low-carb or follow the Paleo diet. I don’t fast or cleanse. I just like to eat and eat well. I choose organic when appropriate, limit meat consumption, and place an emphasis on plants. But it may surprise you that a dietitian’s eating habits are less than perfect. There is a perception that dietitians’ meals and snacks are all steamed vegetables, tofu and kale salads. But the reality is we live in the same world you do, where the psychology of food marketing and huge portions override the physiologic satiety cues of our bodies, where healthy eating is a struggle no matter who you are. I, too, have meetings that interrupt lunch and sometimes want to grab those few minutes of extra sleep at the cost of time for a good breakfast. After all, aren’t we bombarded with as many public service messages on the importance of sleep as eating well? But guess what? I am still a healthy eater. I always eat breakfast. Studies show that people who eat breakfast eat less total calories during the day than breakfast skippers. Breakfast is also the perfect meal for sneaking in extra nutrients. Did you know the US is the only country where vegetables are not a stable at breakfast? Breakfast options for me are a bowl of grilled vegetables over cooked steel-cut oats, or a scrambled egg with onions and a side of tomato slices. If I am running late it just may be an apple and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. This may not be as satisfying, but it is the right combo of healthy fat, protein and fiber. Another quick breakfast is a plain Greek yogurt and a banana. If you

by Pam Brisky MS, RD, LD Nutrition Manager, Augusta University Health wheat flours and fruits pastes instead of sugar. The key is to limit portions to 1 or 2 ounces. I also drink water throughout the day. I generally will have 16 ounces before breakfast, a bottle of water when I get to work and 32 ounces or more in the evening. My daily vice, especially at work, is diet soda. I get asked the “diet soda question” often, and my response is this: There is no definitive, scientifically proven relationship between diet soda and detrimental health. But there is a scientifically proven, well-established association between drinking sugary beverages (regular soda, juices, sport drinks, sugary coffee and tea, alcohol mixers) and increased chronic disease risk. In the context of a heathy, vegetable-heavy diet, I am comfortable with a diet soda daily. Here is a quick note about snacks. I rarely snack. You may be wondering whether you should eat three meals versus five to six smaller meals/snacks throughout the day, Research has shown that unless you have a digestive disorder, there is no significant difference between eating three meals or five to six meals. It all comes down to what works best for you. Here are the numbers for my meals today: Total calories: 1496 Total grams of fiber: 49 Total ounces water (and diet soda): 78 Bon Appetit! +

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JUNE 3, 2016

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

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Brad’s Story Brad, a 6-foot-6-inch former athlete, had a wake-up call in his mid-30s. His doctor said he was at risk for heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke, because of his weight and lack of exercise. Brad’s grandfather died of a heart attack. His father had quadruple bypass heart surgery at age 50. And now Brad was showing signs of going down the same road—for example, his doctor had told him he had a low level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. You want to have high levels of HDL, which is known as the “good” cholesterol because it helps remove cholesterol from your arteries. The fast food, beer, and stress from work and family duties were catching up with him. “After my two kids were born, I stopped exercising and got out of shape,” says the sales executive from Oregon. Brad and Buddy Scared by what the doctor had said, Brad became faithful to his workouts again. He even started doing triathlons. However, a new job and a move across the country interrupted his routine. Then in 2013, Brad and his family adopted Buddy, a black Labrador retriever, who was born to run. The energetic dog became Brad’s running buddy and ticket to better health. Brad was committed to exercising his puppy and used the momentum to exercise himself. They soon were running together four times a week, logging a total of 20 miles weekly. “Every time I put on my running shoes, Buddy runs in circles and sits at the door. Or if he gets into the garage, he’ll go find his leash, put it in his mouth and sit there, ready to go,” laughs Brad. “With the number of hours I work as a sales director for emerging markets, there’s no way I’d be able to manage stress at work, responsibilities at home, and my weight without Buddy.” “In the three years since I’ve had Buddy, I haven’t had any health issues,” he proudly reports. “All the markers for heart disease are gone, and I’ve trimmed down to less than 20 percent body fat.” Brad says exercising and staying fit have led to healthier food choices, too. “I eat more responsibly since I’ve had Buddy. I would not be anywhere near the shape I’m in without him. By his doggie smile, I can tell he’s happy too.” Cynthia’s Story Cynthia, a mother of three in Massachusetts, agrees that walking with pets benefits both people and animals. Her pet happens to be a miniature horse named Dakota. Like Brad, Cynthia had a wake-up call that provided the inspiration she needed. After turning 50 in 2014, she learned she had high cholesterol and prediabetes—a condition that put Please see WALKING page 14

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JUNE 3, 2016

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

From the Bookshelf The blog spot — posted by Brandon Sorkin on May 28, 2016 (edited for space)

THE BITTERSWEET TRUTH ABOUT HEALTHCARE WORKERS It was the fi rst day of my prestigious internship at the cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation center. I was a senior in college eager to apply my knowledge in exercise physiology to people beginning rehab. This was my fi rst real opportunity to work as part of a health care team. I watched energetic members of the staff cater to every need of the patients. I wasn’t used to this 8 to 5 schedule, so I must have checked the clock at least fifteen times before lunch arrived. The clock eventually struck noon as the eleven members of our staff gathered around a table to take an hour break from work. One by one, everyone grabbed their lunch from the fridge and sat down. As I looked up from my turkey sandwich, I was surrounded by more 12ounce cans of soda than actual human beings around my table. The sound of fi zzing became a common theme at lunchtime for the entire duration of my 500-hour internship. Throughout my internship, I learned a significant amount by spectating, but my most surprising discovery must have been the dependence health care providers have on drinks loaded with sugar. Packs of Coca-Cola, Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper and Sprite were brought into work each Monday and consumed religiously during the work week. I interned at a rehab facility where the majority of patients were enrolled after undergoing a major cardiac operation. The staff preached the benefits of proper nutrition, exercise and physical health to the patients each and every time they walked in. Why is it that the providers who make a living trying to get people healthier have the worst habits? They know each sip is a slew of sludge running through their arteries and veins; is temporary pleasure worth their wellbeing? Maybe even more shocking than the actual action is its acceptance among health care professionals. The fast-paced and demanding lifestyle of a health professional is well documented. Quick fi xes are usually the short term solution to the demands of the medical field. Our society values knowledge, yet this health epidemic is glorified in commercials and stocked at grocery store entrances. The most recent federal dietary guidelines suggest limiting one’s daily sugar intake to 10 percent of daily calories. The dietary guidelines for adults and children age 4 and over are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Some quick grade school math shows that daily sugar intake for the average person should not exceed 200 calories a day. A 12 ounce can of Mountain Dew contains 46 grams of sugar and 1 gram of sugar is roughly equal to 4 calories. In other words, a single 12 ounce can of Mountain Dew equals 92 percent of the daily sugar intake for the average person. As far as sugar goes, that’s getting one’s money’s worth. The number of people affected by chronic illnesses such as coronary artery disease and diabetes is growing exponentially each year. There is no doubt that these diseases are becoming more prevalent due to the abundance of sugar in today’s diet. Next time you are at the store, check the sugar of the items in your cart. You may be surprised, even shocked, at how difficult it is to eat healthy. We must demand change as consumers; it is no longer acceptable for health to be secondary to taste. Do not be afraid to talk to your peers about their health choices. As an aspiring medical student, I believe the best treatment is prevention. In the words of Ann Wigmore, “The food we eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” Health care professionals are supposed to be role models of health, not the embodiment of hypocrisy. +

“I was surrounded...”

Brandon Sorkin is a premedical student who blogs at dimhealth.

We have dozens of words and phrases — some taboo, some acceptable euphemisms — to describe something we’re all quite familiar with: “going to the restroom.” How’s that for a euphemism? Given our reluctance to discuss this subject, The Big Necessity is exactly what The New York Times says it is: an “extraordinary book.” The topic nobody really wants to talk about is incredibly important: “sanitation” and “clean water” — there we go with the euphemisms again — are key elements of health (or the lack thereof) for every single human being on this planet. As you may have noticed, there are billions of us. And you will discover if you read this compelling book that billions of people don’t have access to “sanitation.” Author Rose George says that doesn’t mean they have an outhouse or are forced to use public restrooms. It means they have nothing: not even so much as a bucket or a hole in the floor. They have streets and alleys. We aren’t talking exclusively about the slums of Calcutta or

Nairobi. This is a global issue. In Milwaukee, for example, a sewage crisis made 400,000 people sick and killed more than 100, and this happened, not in 1893, but in 1993. Has the problem been fi xed? Well, between 1994 and 2008 (the copyright date of this book), Milwaukee legally discharged 935 million gallons of “full-strength, untreated sewage” into Lake Michigan. Which, incidentally, is precisely where Milwaukee gets its drinking water. 935 million gallons may sound like a lot, but it’s a

proverbial [fi ll in your word of choice here] in the bucket: 90 percent of the world’s sewage flows untreated into lakes, rivers and oceans, writes George. The global disease toll is stunning: a gram of feces can contain a million bacteria, 10 million viruses, 1,000 parasite cysts and 100 worm eggs. Yet experts say the billions who live in areas with inadequate sanitation can unwittingly ingest up to 10 grams of fecal matter a day. We are indeed fortunate to live in a part of the world where waste treatment is the norm. Even so, the earth is a closed system. We may never give waste a second thought once the toilet is flushed, but it doesn’t go away. It just travels someplace else so somebody else can deal with it. “It” may be out of sight, but as the book’s title concludes, “It matters.” It matters a lot. It should matter to all of us. + The Big Necessity: The Unmentionable World of Human Waste - And Why It Matters, by Rose George; 302 pages, published in July 2009 by Metropolitan Books

Research News Pick up that crying baby! Or should you? An Australian study supports the opposite view: let the baby cry himself to sleep. Working with a small group of parents (43 sets) who had babies experiencing sleeping problems, researchers divided participants into three groups: a neutral control group, a third who practiced “graduated extinction,” and a third who practiced what researchers called “bedtime fading.” In graduated extinction, parents put their child to bed and then promptly leave the room. If the child cries they return, comfort and then leave, but then wait longer and longer before each and every subsequent return. In bedtime fading, instead of parents establishing the newborn’s bedtime, they put the baby to bed close to the time he or she usually fell asleep. Parents could stay in the room until the child dozed off. Three months after the program began, the gradual extinction (aka “cry it out”)

babies were falling asleep almost 15 minutes sooner than babies in the control group. Babies in the “bedtime fading” group dozed off about 12 minutes faster than the control group. Researchers say that the babies were not unduly stressed by the techniques. Levels of a stress hormone were measured during the study and one year later and were found to be normal. Furthermore, parents reported no long-term behavioral problems in babies in sleep technique versus control group babies. Parents, however, no doubt experienced significant stress reductions. Music therapy Following on the heels of Dr. Darren Mack’s May 20 Medical Examiner article about the power of music comes a British study presented May 28 at Euroanaesthesia 2016. A total of 62 patients scheduled for cataract surgery were randomly assigned to two groups prior to the procedures. One group listened to relaxing

music through headphones for 15 minutes before their surgery (which lasts about 15 minutes); the other group did not listen to music. The music played in the study was specially composed following strict criteria by Music Care, a Paris-based company which produces music designed to prevent, reduce or manage pain, anxiety and depression. The results were dramatic. Anxiety was significantly lower in the music group (23 on a scale of 100 versus 65 in the non-music group). The listeners also received significantly less sedatives during surgery compared to the non-listeners (16 percent versus 32 percent), and postoperative patient satisfaction tallied a mean score of 71 out of 100 for the musical group compared to 55 for the non-musical group. Researchers call music “an inexpensive, non-invasive, non-pharmacological method to reduce anxiety for patients.” Adding that “postoperative pain may be reduced by decreasing postoperative anxiety.” +

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JUNE 3, 2016

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE EXAMiNERS +

What’s on your schedule today?

by Dan Pearson

I’ve got to come up It runs in the with an idea for You do a comic strip? Medical Examiner, my comic strip. Where? every issue.

That’s exactly what my wife says about it.

No joke.

The Mystery Word for this issue: GILLRACE

EXAMINER CROSSWORD

PUZZLE

Click on “READER CONTESTS” 15

QUOTATION PUZZLE E F M R S S S I H S X Y A U L W I A E P O E T T M O O L E O

P O I O A R G E T T I T T N Y H U N H R R S N — Janet Lane

DIRECTIONS: Recreate a timeless nugget of wisdom by using the letters in each vertical column to fill the boxes above them. Once any letter is used, cross it out in the lower half of the puzzle. Letters may be used only once. Black squares indicate spaces between words, and words may extend onto a second line. Solution on page 14.

X A M I N E R

9 2 7 9 7 3 6

2 5

1 3 5 8 4 1

4 4

8 7 6 4 3 1

9 6

U D O K U

DIRECTIONS: Every line, vertical and horizontal, and all nine 9-square boxes must each contain the numbers 1 though 9. Solution on page 14.

Use the letters provided at bottom to create words to solve the puzzle above. All the listed letters following #1 are the first letters of the various words; the letters following #2 are the second letters of each word, and so on. Try solving words with letter clues or numbers with minimal choices listed. A sample is shown. Solution on page 14.

1 2 3 4 5 6 F 1 2 3 4

H 1 2 3 4

2 1

A 3 4

1 2 3 4

B 1 2 3 4 5 6

1 — Confucius

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1.DWWAAAPTBF 2.ILIEHIE 3.BAAATTT 4.WHHTMNB 5.LOOE 6.RUNE 7.DT

SAMPLE:

1. ILB 2. SLO 3. VI 4. NE 5. D =

L 1

O 2

V 3

E 4

I 1

S 2

B 1

L 2

I 3

N 4

D 5

All Mystery Word finders will be eligible to win by random drawing. We’ll announce the winner in our next issue!

VISIT WWW.AUGUSTARX.COM

19 20 21 ACROSS 1. Take someone to _____ 22 23 5. Monkeys 24 25 26 27 9. Donkey 28 29 30 31 32 33 12. Polish coffee cake 13. Mount beginning 34 35 36 37 14. Free goods, typically for 38 39 40 promotional purposes 16. Mentally off 41 42 43 44 18. Exchange for money 45 46 47 48 49 19. Campus org. 50 51 52 53 54 20. On sheltered side 21. Pet follower 55 56 57 58 22. Leading 59 60 61 23. Chapel namesake? 62 63 64 24. African musical instrument by Daniel R. Pearson © 2016 All rights reserved. Built in part with software from www.crauswords.com 27. It can precede rate or mark DOWN 29. Dr. _______ 28. Monetary unit of Iceland 1. Early astronaut’s drink 30. Consumed 29. Bucket 2. Super Trouper group 32. Intro for tops or trunks 31. 7th letter of the Greek 3. Jamaican pop music 33. Increases alphabet 4. Desert region in Africa 35. Pleased 34. Direct 5. Sleep disorder 36. Systematic fact-finding 38. Biscuit’s first name? 6. Wore out a rug? 37. Farm wagon (Old English) 39. Erikson of note 7. Before, in poetry 42. New Port Royal tenant 40. With “dog,” a worn book 8. Glum 43. Resting place 41. _______ ligation 9. Declare 45. Singer Stone 44. Web locations 10. It was bought by Solo Cup 46. Synonym of 50-A 45. Became a member of in 2004 47. New Zealand aboriginal 47. Expert 11. Simultaneous firing of 48. First fruit? 50. Synonym of 46-D artillery 49. By way of 51. Capital of Western Samoa 12. Multi-passenger vehicle 52. Augusta Auditorium 52. Mr. Hogan 15. Small secluded valley 53. Excellence in Sports 55. Medecins ___ Frontieres 17. Malt beverage Performance Yearly award 56. Wild African female feline 21. National standard (as it’s commonly known) 59. Legal postponement 22. Operatic melody 54. Growing presence at 60. Warren of the Supreme 23. Fuelperks grocer Ft. Gordon (abbrev.) Court 24. Hall at Ft. Gordon? 56. Jeans brand 61. Latin for fault or guilt 25. Unit of computer memory 57. Each one has inner, 62. Ernie of the PGA 26. Unreasonable middle and outer sections 63. Hudson River canal 27. Marty’s nemesis 58. Dynamic ending Solution p. 14 64. Water or war adjective

WORDS NUMBER

Simply unscramble the letters, then begin exploring our ads. When you find the correctly spelled word hidden in one of our ads — enter at AugustaRx.com

THE MYSTERY WORD

JUNE 3, 2016

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE BEST MEDICINE ha... ha...

young nun who worked for a home health nursing agency was on her way to see a patient when she ran out of gas. Fortunately she could see a convenience store just ahead, but the nun didn’t have enough money for gas and a gas can. She took a minute to think and then grabbed a bedpan she was taking to the patient. She carried it to the station, filled it with gasoline, and carried it back to her car. As she was pouring the gas into the tank of her car, two men across the street noticed her. One of them turned to the other and said, “If that car starts, I’m going to church every Sunday for the rest of my life.” Why does Waldo wear stripes? Because he doesn’t want to be spotted. What’s a comedian’s least favorite drink? Booze. What is the #1 cause of dry skin? Towels. A Russian and an American are bragging about

their countries one day. The American says, “I can go to D.C. any time I want, march into the Oval Office and say, ‘Mr. Obama, I don’t like how you’re running this country.’” The Russian scoffs and says, “So can I! I can go to Moscow, march into the Kremlin straight to the president’s office and say, ‘Mr. Putin, I don’t like how Obama is running his country.’” A mother has three kids. One day the oldest child asks, “Mommy, why I am I named Petal?” “Because when you were born, a petal fell on your head,” the mom replies. The second child hears this and asks, “Why am I named Rose?” “Because a rose fell on your head when you were born.” The third child comes up and says, “My favorite color is potato.” “Shut up, Brick!” says the mother. Johnny is reading a comic book inside his geography book in class when he’s caught by the teacher. “This is why you’re going to get an F on your geography test tomorrow!” the teacher says. “But I’ve studied! I’m ready for the test!” says Johnny. “We’ll see about that, Johnny. Where’s England?” she demands. Johnny proudly answers, “Page 83.” Why did the old lady fall into the well? Because she couldn’t see that well. +

Why subscribe to the Medical Examiner? Because no one should have to make a trip to the doctor or the hospital just to read Augusta’s Most Salubrious Newspaper.

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SUBSCRIBE TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER By popular demand we’re making at-cost subscriptions available for the convenience of our readers. If you live beyond the Aiken-Augusta area or miss issues between doctor’s appointments — don’t you hate it when that happens? — we’ll command your mail carrier to bring every issue to your house! NAME ADDRESS CITY

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Choose ____ six months for $20; or ____ one year for $36. Mail this completed form with payment to Augusta Medical Examiner, PO Box 397, Augusta GA 30903-0397

ON THE ROAD TO BETTER HEALTH A PATIENT’S PERSPECTIVE Editor’s note: Augusta writer Marcia Ribble wrote a long-time column in this paper entitled The Patient’s Perspective reincarnated in this new format. Feel free to contact her at marciaribble@hotmail.com My middle daughter is getting married. I am excited for her and for the whole family. The man she is marrying is a nice guy and they are happy together. After their wedding the reception will be at Mistletoe State Park. What a beautiful spot for a celebration! It reminds me of a similar place for a reception I attended years ago with my two youngest children. That long-ago reception was also held in a park. The day was lovely and the children who were there had lots of room to run and play. And play they did. While the adults were having our own kind of fun, the children discovered a creek that was rich with adventures. It was shallow enough to splash in, and deep enough to have lots of wild critters for them to find. The creek bed was sandy, so they didn’t even get muddy, just wet, and the day was warm enough that being wet was fun, too. They found minnows, tadpoles, frogs, and crayfish, lots of them, and brought them to the adults with all the amazement children find in open spaces where they can touch, smell, and feel their environment, as well as see it. They were good stewards of their environment and returned all of their finds to where they had found them before it got dark and we all went inside to eat again, have wedding cake and ice cream, and dance. The whole day was delicious. The park was also perfect for hide and seek with big trees to hide behind, but also safe enough for the grown-ups to relax and just let the kids play. They played other games children played in the days before cell phones. Red Rover. Duck, duck, goose. Kick ball. Their happy yells made me laugh. “I caught you!” “No, you didn’t!” “You’re dead!” “Do I look dead to you?” I recall playing those games when I was a child, and I know my parents and grandparents played them, too. Can it really be called childhood if children no longer know the fun of counting: “Five, ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five, thirty, thirty-five, forty, forty-five, fifty....one hundred! Ready or not, here I come!”? I’ll be watching at the reception to see if folks have their noses stuck in their cell phones or smart phones instead of being full participants in the day’s activities. I’m hoping that the people at the reception will all enjoy the day’s fun. I’m looking forward to watching to see if anyone catches some fish (including me), if they notice the delicate scents caused by a shrimp boil, if they’ve put on their sunscreen. I won’t know some of the people who will be coming, but I hope that they will talk to one another and with me. +

MED ICAL EXAMINER CELEBRATES SWEET 16! Every Medical Examiner since issue #1 has been 16 pages — just the right size for busy people who care about good health!

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JUNE 3, 2016

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE MYSTERY SOLVED The Mystery Word in our last issue was: STETHOSCOPE ...very cleverly hidden (on a leaf) in the p. 1 ad for INTERNATIONAL UNIFORM Congratulations to CARRIE JORDAN, who scores the current contents of the Medical Examiner goody bag. Sweet! Want to find your name here next issue? The new Mystery Word is on page 12. Start looking!

The Celebrated MYSTERY WORD CONTEST ...wherein we hide (with fiendish cleverness) a simple word. All you have to do is unscramble the word (found on page 12), then find it concealed within one of our ads. Click in to the contest link at www.AugustaRx.com and enter. If we pick you in our random drawing of correct entries, you’ll score our goodie package! SEVEN SIMPLE RULES: 1. Unscramble and find the designated word hidden within one of the ads in this issue. 2. Visit the Reader Contests page at www.AugustaRx.com. 3. Tell us what you found and where you found it. 4. If you’re right and you’re the one we pick at random, you win. (Winners within the past six months are ineligible.) 5. Prizes awarded to winners may vary from issue to issue. 6. A photo ID may be required to claim some prizes. 7. Other entrants may win a lesser prize at the sole discretion of the publisher.

The new scrambled Mystery Word is found on page 12

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Augusta Medical Examiner Classifieds

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING FORM Name Address Work number (if applicable) ( ) Home phone ( ) Category of ad (leave blank if unsure):

In case we need to contact you. These numbers will not appear in the ad.

AD COPY (one word per line; phone numbers MUST include the area code):

WALKING… from page 10 her at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. She was already taking medicine for high blood pressure.

of all adults and one-third of all young people in the United States don’t get enough physical activity.

Cynthia and Dakota “I became very interested in living a healthy lifestyle and realized my horse could live a healthier lifestyle as well,” says Cynthia. “I looked at him and said, “You need to go on a diet. If you do, I will, too!’ I made a commitment to him that we would walk together for better overall health.”

Pets Need Exercise, Too The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention estimated that nearly 53 million dogs in the United States were overweight or obese in 2014 and faced many of the same weightrelated health problems as humans who were overweight or obese. In 2015, the U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek H. Murthy, MD, called on people to make walking a priority in their lives. “We know that an active lifestyle is critical to achieving good overall health. And walking is a simple, effective and affordable way to build physical activity into our lives,” he said. The Surgeon General also recognized the benefits of pet ownership and how regular walks help both people and animals. Walking is a popular, easy form of exercise for most, offering proven health benefits and a low risk of injury. What’s the best way to get going? Studies show that a commitment to walking their dogs helps people put one foot in front of the other. Like Brad and Cynthia, they exercise for their animals’ health as well as their own. As a bonus, they form a stronger bond with their pets—and often are inspired to eat healthier. +

Cynthia realized her diet included a lot of unhealthy choices. She now eats a low-sugar, high-protein, high-fiber diet. She also reduced the quantity of Dakota’s snacks. He now gets occasional treats for good behavior, not just for looking cute. By eating a healthier diet and walking four to five times a week with Dakota, Cynthia lost 25 pounds. Dakota also lost weight and is in better shape. In addition to the physical health benefits, walking provides a good way for people and pets to bond. “They benefit as much as you do,” says Cynthia. “He motivated me to get outside and become healthy and to get him healthy as well. I do it as much for Dakota as for myself.” She encourages others to walk their pets regularly—to improve both human health and animal health. The need is great. About half

EXAMINER CLASSIFIEDS HOMES, APARTMENTS, ROOMMATES, LAND, ETC. SUMMERVILLE Historic Summerville Condo. Rehabbed, pristine condition. Close to MCG/AU. 1BR/1BA. $900 incl water/trash/washer-dryer. Tour and details at www.coolcondoforrent.wordpress.com Call 706-738-5606 ROOM FOR RENT 1 room, private bathroom, 2bdrm MH on private lot. Clean quiet neighborhood. Non-smoker. $600 monthly. Must be stable, verifiable references and income. Cable and Internet included. Warrenville, 5 min from Aiken, 20 min to Augusta. (803) 270-2658 POND VIEW! Evans all-brick 2-story with solar panels. Avg. electric bill $170 in Northwood, 3,400 sqft. Call 1-800401-0257, ext. 0043 24/7 for price and details.

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HOUSE CLEANING Your house, apartment, rental move-outs. Thorough, dependable. Weekly, or whatever schedule you prefer. References. 706-267-9947

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Send this form with payment to:

— Source: Centers for Disease Control

AUGUSTAGAHOMESEARCH.COM Foreclosures • MLS • Builders • Rentals (706) 564-5885

BIBLE BY PHONE - Free daily Bible readings; for Spiritual Encouragement and Growth. Call 706-855-WORD (9673) F. E. GILLIARD, MD FAMILY MEDICINE Acute & Chronic Illnesses Occupational Medicine

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PROMPT APPOINTMENTS 706-760-7607

MISCELLANEOUS SUNSET MEMORIAL GARDENS Opening and closing at Sunset Mem. Gardens in Graniteville. Sale: $760 (Value: $1520+) Call 706-736-0596 ANTIQUE maple dinette set with buffet corner cabinet table with pull-out leaves. Four chairs with two captain’s chairs. Excellent condition. $300. Double bed early 1930s with mattress spring coverlet shams $150. Call (706) 860-2170 WANT TO BE HEALTHY? (Energy, weight loss, mental clarity) Go to gethealthyat.le-vel.com See video and Facebook. Sign free as customer. BEING PAID WHAT YOU ARE WORTH? Then make more money! Watch movie all out interview: ExtraMoneyInterview.net

SEE PAGE 12

QUOTATION QUOTATION PUZZLE SOLUTION: “Of all the things you wear your expression is the most important.” — Janet Lane

CEMETERY SPACES (2) Sunset Memorial Gardens, Graniteville SC adjacent to lighted military flagstaff, includes granite bench with urn space, installation and inscription. All $4700 ($8600 value). Spaces only: $2700. Call (803) 2953033

The Sudoku Solution

FISHING CLUB wants more grey-haired members. Meet 2nd Thurs of month at Harbor Inn Restaurant, 12 noon. “Adventure Before Dementia” Info: (706) 736-8753 or (706) 829-1729 PET CARE in Martinez-Evans area. Dogs to 40 lbs, $9.00. Cats (1-3), $9.00 For interview/information, phone 706-8291729

AUGUSTA MEDICAL EXAMINER, PO BOX 397, AUGUSTA, GA 30903-0397 Total ad cost by number of words as shown above: $ Multiply by number of times ad to run: x Total submitted: $

The Augusta Medical Examiner publishes on the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month. Your ad should reach us no later than 7 days prior to our publication date.

Our next issue date: June 17

WORDS BY NUMBER “Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.” — Confucius

JUNE 3, 2016

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

MOSQUITOS… from back cover • Do not allow children to handle or spray the product. When using on children, apply to your own hands first and then put it on the child. Avoid applying repellent to children’s hands because children frequently put their hands in their eyes and mouths. • Use just enough repellent to cover exposed skin and/or clothing. Heavy application does not give you better or longer lasting protection. • After returning indoors, wash treated skin with soap and water or bathe. This is particularly important when repellents are used repeatedly in a day or on consecutive days. • If you (or your child) get a rash or other reaction from a repellent, stop using the repellent, wash the repellent off with mild soap and water, and call a local poison control center for further guidance. If you go to a doctor, it might be helpful to take the repellent with you.

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MAKERSON DENTAL

Can insect repellents be used on children? Yes. Most products can be used on children. Products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus should not to be used on children under the age of three years. EPA does not recommend any additional precautions for using registered repellents on children other than those laisted above. Can insect repellents be used by pregnant or nursing women? Yes. EPA does not recommend any additional precautions for repellent use by pregnant or nursing women. +

Cosmetic Dentistry • Endodontics • Implants Invisalign Orthodontics • In-Office Bleaching And more Most Major Insurances Accepted Call for an appointment today 706-73-SMILE (737-6453) Drmakerson.com

THINK INSIDE THE WRAP 3626 Walton Way Extension (Walton’s Corner) Phone: 706.736.1099 Fax: 706.736.4401

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PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY ALLERGY

Tesneem K. Chaudhary, MD Allergy & Asthma Center 3685 Wheeler Road, Suite 101 Augusta 30909 706-868-8555

CHIROPRACTIC Evans Chiropractic Health Center Dr. William M. Rice 108 SRP Drive, Suite A 706-860-4001 www.evanschiro.net

COUNSELING Resolution Counseling Professionals 3633 Wheeler Rd, Suite 365 Augusta 30909 706-432-6866 www.visitrcp.com

DENTISTRY

DERMATOLOGY

Georgia Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center 2283 Wrightsboro Rd. (at Johns Road) Augusta 30904 706-733-3373 www.GaDerm.com

DEVELOPMENTAL PEDIATRICS Karen L. Carter, MD 1303 D’Antignac St, Suite 2100 Augusta 30901 706-396-0600 www.augustadevelopmentalspecialists.com

DRUG REHAB Steppingstones to Recovery 2610 Commons Blvd. Augusta 30909 706-733-1935

FAMILY MEDICINE

F. E. Gilliard MD, Family Medicine 4244 Washington Road Evans, GA 30809 706-760-7607 Industrial Medicine • Prompt appts. Urgent MD Augusta: 706-922-6300 Grovetown: 706-434-3500 Thomson: 706-595-7825 Primary Care Rates

OPHTHALMOLOGY Roger M. Smith, M.D. 820 St. Sebastian Way Suite 5-A Augusta 30901 706-724-3339

PHARMACY

YOUR LISTING HERE

SENIOR LIVING

Augusta Gardens Senior Living Community 3725 Wheeler Road Augusta 30909 SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY 706-868-6500 www.augustagardenscommunity.com

SLEEP MEDICINE Sleep Institute of Augusta Bashir Chaudhary, MD 3685 Wheeler Rd, Suite 101 Augusta 30909 706-868-8555

TRANSPORTATION Caring Man in a Van Wheelchair-Stretcher Transports • Serving Augusta Metro 855-342-1566 www.CaringManinaVan.com

VEIN CARE

Medical Center West Pharmacy 465 North Belair Road Evans 30809 Vein Specialists of Augusta Dr. Judson S. Hickey Your Practice 706-854-2424 Periodontist And up to four additional lines of your www.medicalcenterwestpharmacy.com G. Lionel Zumbro, Jr., MD, FACS, RVT, RPVI 501 Blackburn Dr, Martinez 30907 Floss ‘em 2315-B Central Ave choosing and, if desired, your logo. or lose ‘em! Keep your contact information in 706-854-8340 Augusta 30904 Parks Pharmacy www.VeinsAugusta.com 706-739-0071 this convenient place seen by tens of 437 Georgia Ave. thousands of patients every month. N. Augusta 29841 Jason H. Lee, DMD Literally! Call (706) 860-5455 for all 803-279-7450 116 Davis Road the details www.parkspharmacy.com Augusta 30907 Medical Weight & Wellness 706-860-4048 Specialists of Augusta THE AUGUSTA Maycie Elchoufi, MD MEDICAL EXAMINER Steven L. Wilson, DMD 108 SRP Drive, Suite B Psych Consultants Family Dentistry Evans 30809 • 706-829-9906 AUGUSTA’S 2820 Hillcreek Dr 4059 Columbia Road MOST SALUBRIOUS YourWeightLossDoctor.com Augusta 30909 Martinez 30907 NEWSPAPER (706) 410-1202 706-863-9445 www.psych-consultants.com

WEIGHT LOSS

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

How do I protect myself from mosquito bites? Three steps from the CDC: 1. Wear insect repellent: Yes! It is safe. When used as directed, insect repellent is the BEST way to protect yourself from mosquito bites—even children and pregnant women should protect themselves. Higher percentages of active ingredient provide longer lasting protection. • DEET: Products containing DEET include Cutter, OFF!, Skintastic. • Picaridin (also known as KBR 3023, Bayrepel, and icaridin): Products containing picaridin include Cutter Advanced, Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus, and Autan outside the United States). • Oil of lemon eucalyptus

(OLE) or PMD: Repel contains OLE. • IR3535: Products containing IR3535 include Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus Expedition and SkinSmart. 2. Cover up: When weather permits, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants. 3. Keep mosquitoes outside: Use air conditioning or make sure that you repair and use window/door screens. Which mosquito repellents work best? CDC recommends the use of products containing active ingredients which have been registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use as repellents applied to skin and

clothing. Of the products registered with the EPA, those containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, and some oil of lemon eucalyptus and paramenthane-diol products provide longer-lasting protection. EPA registration means that EPA does not expect the product to cause adverse effects to human health or the environment when used according to the label. How often should repellent be

reapplied? Repellents containing a higher percentage of the active ingredient typically provide longer-lasting protection. Regardless of what product you use, if you start to get mosquito bites, reapply the repellent according to the label instructions. What precautions should I follow when using repellents? Always follow the recommendations appearing on the product label. EPA recommends the following

when using insect repellents: • Apply repellents only to exposed skin and/or clothing (as directed on the product label). Do not apply repellents under your clothing. • Never use repellents over cuts, wounds or irritated skin. • Do not apply to eyes or mouth, and apply sparingly around ears. When using repellent sprays, do not spray directly on your face—spray on your hands first and then apply to your face. Please see MOSQUITOS page 15

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